1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a starter for cranking an internal combustion engine, the starter having an electric motor and a magnetic switch fixed to a common housing so that a rotating axis of the electric motor and an operating axis of the magnetic switch are positioned in parallel to each other.
2. Description of Related Art
An example of this type of starter is disclosed in JP-U-61-35556. The starter disclosed therein has an electric motor and a magnetic switch, and the magnetic switch is connected to the electric motor through a connecting member. One end of the connecting member is connected to a lead wire led out from the electric motor by forcibly pressing the connecting member against the lead wire. Another example of this type of starter is shown in FIG. 11 attached hereto. In this starter, an electric motor 100 and a magnetic switch 110 are connected to a common housing 120 with bolts (not shown).
In the starter disclosed in JP-U-61-35556, the lead wire led out from the electric motor is formed by twisting plural copper wires. Therefore, there is a possibility that water splashed on the starter enters into the electric motor along the lead wire by a capillary action. In the starter shown in FIG. 11, a housing of the magnetic switch 110 is connected to the common housing 120 in an overhang structure with a long overhang length L1. Therefore, there is a possibility that the lead wire connecting the magnetic switch to the electric motor may be disconnected or cut due to vibration transmitted from the engine.